Automobile indicator and signal.



J. B. HEALEY & H. E. McKINLEY.

' AUTOMOBILE INDICATOR AND SIGNAL. wmcmou FILED mm. 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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Patented Dec. '14, 1915.

1. B. HEALEY an. E. McKlNLEY) AUTOMOBILE-INDICATOR AND SIGNAL. APPLICATION FILED JAN.'5, I915.

Patented Dec. 14,1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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JOSEPH B. AND HENRY E. MCKINLEY, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

AUTOMOBILE INDICATOR AND SIGNAL.

Application filed January 5, 1915.

To (1 w]? it may concern Be it 1 fwn that we, .losuru ll. lllZALl-IY and I'lESRY E. 1\I\' ](1NIJCY. citizens of the United States, residing at Brooklyn. in the county of King's and State of New Yorlv'. have invented new and useful lumrovements in Automobile Indicators and Signal. o'l which the following is a specification.

The general object of this invention is to improve the construction of vehi le signals in point of providing the rear lamp ol' the vehicle with a mova le indicator so that a \'c hicle may be provided with a means whereby the l\81 of the vehicle may signal at nie ht as well asby day the progressive movement of his vehicle. to the drivers ol? tollowiug vehicles. And to this end the invention consists broadly of a rotatable signaling arm in the ends of which are mounted electric lamps and in providing a means for manic ally operating the signaling arm and for controlling an electric circuit tor illuminating the lamps, so that. at night one ol the amps may be constantly ilhuninatml For use as a tail lamp and the )ther ot' the lamps may be flashed when the signaling arm is actuated for attracting attention to tl nal.

Other objects will appear and be better understood from that emlunlimcnt o'l' our invention of which the following; is a specihcation, reference being had to the acconn panying drawings forming part hereof in which lfiigure 1 is a rear elevational view of a vehicle shown equipped with the signaling device. Fig. 2 a detail side elovational view of the signaling device. Fig. :3 is an enlarged rear elcvational view of the device. Fig. l a front elevational view of a portion of the device located adjacent the driver of a vehicle. Fig. is an ei'ilar 'ed vertical sectional view oi a portion ot the device vv'lrich is located on the rear ot the vehicle, and Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view ot a portion at the device which is located. adjacent the driver of a vehicle.

Referring to the drawings in detail 1 indi cates the body of an automobile to the rear end of which is mounted the signaling portion 2 and on the front portion of which is adapted to be secured the operating portion 3 oil the present invention.

he signaling portion is secured on the automobile body by any suitable means, at a oosition where it. may be distinctly-visible Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented -Dec. 1et,1915. Serial no. 644. v

to those in the rear thereof. and comprises a casing l in the ends of which are arranged l t'1ll'lll i 5 and (l for supporting a horizontally arranged rotatable shaft 7. The outer end of the shalt l'n'oiccts beyond the end of the bearing 5 so as to have suitably secured thereon a signal member 8 and the inner end of the shalt projects beyond the end oi the bearing: T so as to have suitably secured thereon a locking collar 9 for preventing any lateral movement oi the shaft when the lit\ ice is in use.

The signal member preferably formed (it a hollow structure into substantially the shape ol an arrow and is provided with the enlarawl tapering; headed portion 10 and the enlarged tail portion ll. The arrow is adapted to be rotated either to the right or left and its movenwnts at all times are normally under perfect control ot' the driver of the vehicle to which the device is attachcd.

Any suitable naans may be employed for actuating the arrow which means may be located on the t'ront portion of the vehicle at a position where it may be within convenicnt reach oi an operator.

1t is preferred to employ the means shown on the drawings for operating the arrow which comprises a casing 12 for sup mrting a horizontally arranged shaft 13, on the end of which is securely mounted an operating handle let. The casing may be secured by any suitable means at a position on the front portion of the vehicle at a point where the operating handle may be within convenient r inch of the driver of the vehicle. Arranged within the casing and keyed or otherwise suitably secured to the shaft 13 is an enlarged sin-ave 14: around which is trained a cable 15 which is provided for 'conmeeting the operating handle with the signalinp,- portion of the device so that when the operating handle is actuated the arrow may be turned to indicate the direction .vhich the vehicle is about to take. The cable after being trained around the sheave 11 is then carried to the rear of the vehicle and trained around an enlarged sheave 16 which is keyed or otherwise suitably secured on the shaft 7 of the signal arm.

A suitable protector in the form of tubing 17 connecting, the operating and signaling portions of the device, and through which the cable passes, is provided for protecting the cable and for reducing any liability of Q mower the same from becoming interfered with when the device in use. A series of idler sheaves 18 are arranged within the angular portions of the protector and around these sheaves the cable is passed as shown.

iv means of a clamping strip 1.) as indirated in Fig. 6 the ends of the c; l le are securely held on the sheave ll and by means of the cable hein gfastened to the sheave l6 hv being directed through openings in the sides of the sheave as indicated at 20 the cable is prevented from slip 'iingon the sheaves or being otherwise displaced when the device is operated. A suitable locking means in the form of a spring pressed linger Ql-lsee Figs 2 and 4,) is provided for nor mally retaining the signaling arm in any of its four signaling positions. This finger is mounted on a projection secured to the lower end of the handle ll and the outer end Of the finger is arranged to engage in any one of a series of depressions 0 indentations 23 formed in the outer face of the casing 1 To render moi-c easy the operation of the signal arm a suitable ball bearing is provided and ar 'auged in the outer end of the using l as indicated. at 25 in Fig. 5.

To facilitate the reading of the signals as they are given by the arrow, four arms are provided on which are arranged the si nal terms Forward, Stop, Right and Left. These arms are radially mounted on a plate 27 which by means of screws 28 is secured to the front face oi."v the casing L at a point directly behind the arrow.

It is obvious by the structure just described that such a signaling device may be suitably employed for indicating the progressive movements of the vehicle during the day time but that if the device to be utilized at night a suitable illuminating and signaling means must also be employed. lllechanism has been devised whereby the device may be utilized at night as Well as by day and such mechanism is clearly illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5 of the drawings. Suitable electric lamps 30 and 31 are carried by the arrow and mounted respectively in the head and tail portions as shown. The lamp 30 is designed to be utilized. as the tail lamp of the vehicle and at night when the electric circuit is switched on to the Wires leading to the lamps, the tail lamp burns constantly. A circuit closure in the form of a commutator rigidly mounted on the shaft 7, permits the constant illumination. of the tail lamp 30 during the operation of the arrow. The lamp 31 is designed as not to he illuminated until the arr been. turned either to the right or from its vertical or forward indicating position, thus upon the. turning of the arrow the flash of this lamp isdesigned to attract the atten tion of the ope. or of a following vehicle.

utilized for illuminating Any suitable source oil electricity may the tail and li lamps and by means of the leae s 323 ai currcnt is carried to the. terminals or hinding' posts 51land mounted on casing -l. l rom. these binding posts current passes to the commutator brushes and 36 which are mounted on the inner face of the ear-line; and have their free ends engaging with the con tact strips or hands 37, 38 and i 9 oi} the. coin-- mutator. Each of the coinu'iutator strips 257 and 39 are provided with suitable cornice-- tions 40 and ll on the ends of which are arranged binding posts from which the wires ll) and ei-llead. to the electric lamps and the connnuiator strip 39 is also provided with 2 suitable cmineetion 4'3 on the end of which is arranged a binding; post to which the common return wire 425 from the lampsis connected. I t will he observed that the con mutator strip 139 is interrupted for a portion of its lengtlji that when the arrow is in its non-rial or rupwardlv pointing no, as indicated, the circuit for illuniinatiu lash lamp will he lrolien. New, .lllllllu/Lllr utely upon the arrow heir uni-nod eitler to the right or left the end oi: the strip 735 enua with one (it the arms of the eouiniur tater brush ti! mal; eletrieaiv connection so that current ..1 i source through the positive lead i post one arm of the (iO1]'lIlIlllt.ttOlf 35, eomnuitator strip 39, co nection. fir-. 4-4, to the flash lamp haeli through the or men return Wire .5. connection l2, comma tator strip 88., commutator brush and binding post to the negative lead thus completing; the circuit from an able source which may he in. use. i" arrow is returned to its nornnil peui lion circuit will he hrol and the flash l will again he extim ushed hy means interrupted portion the commit, 1 strip The coastal-u illumination of the t l is maintained lav uuzuuc current p from its. suitable sour u: lead binding; post mutator brush 35. com nectiou i0. 'Wll the common Mi ll tion 492, ccmmut brush 3G and hi rive lo? "l thus illuu .u of v ce to a parenev' arrow hea fl a. .eans tor plate oi? the vehicle and ioi I. the signal terms when tho ar-iayaf i.

Itis desirable to have emanating from the rear flash lamps to he (it therefore we ha prex' ided tlui white or green color.

both the headand tail-portions of the arrow with different colored 'transparencies'as indicatedat 4:7 and 48, (seeFig. 3) that at 47 being ofa red color and that at 48 of a Now When the driver wants to indicate that he will turnto theright he operates the handle turning the same to the right one quarter of a revolution which through the cable connection efl'ects-the turning of the arrow one quarter of a revolution thus pointing the head of the arrow toward the rightynow should the driver desire to indicate that he Will stop or turn to the left he will again operate the handle so as to bring the head of the arrow to its respectiveindicative position.

From the foregoing it will thus be seen that thisimproved signal device is useful in the day time as Well as in the night time; that When it is desired to be used at night time it will only be necessary to switch on the electric current. Whichmay be accomplished by the useof a suitable electric switch'as indicated at-50 in Fig. 4- and which may he located at any suitable-point Where -it mav'be Within convenient reach of the driver; thatwhen adjusted for use at night time the lamp mounted in the arrow head may .be utilized as a tail lamp and that moreover the direction isiindicated at night arrangement of parts Without dept by the illuminating feature and at day by the movements of the arrow.

It is obvious that those skilled in the art may vary the'details of construction anl.

2; from the spirit of our invention and. therefore we do not Wish to be limited. to such. features except as may be required by the claim.

What We claim as new is An electric signal comprising a shaft, an arm mounted upon the shaft, lamps in ed at the opposite ends of the arm, a c mutator mounted upon the shaft and l 1 ing two continuous bands and one interrupted band, means electrically connecting both continuous bands With one lamp Where by said lamp is permanent y illuminatl means electrically connecting the other with one of the continuous bands and. interrupted band whereby said lamp flashed at intervals brushes connected in an electric circuit and enga able with the bands and means for turning i shaft.

In testimony whereof W8 :itlix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

Witnesses:

CHARLEs' O. BURGIO IIARRY C. Brmeio. 

